>In this case, no, it really doesn't matter what the number is. But there are many cases when it does. I can't tell you how many times I've been trying to debug something in SBT and I've run into the problem of having to go hunt down the value of a constant. It's a real PITA.
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Michelle,

I can see where a return value from a function documented in terms of a constant might be cause this sort of problem. For example, the Windows SDK defines the returns values with constants like ERROR_SUCCESS, ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED, etc. When debugging, seeing the actual value rather than the constant can be a problem. In the case of the Platform SDK, however, there is also a tool in Visual Studio that allows you to determine the meaning by simply entering the number.

In an instance like this, however, the use of the constants in the call and checking of the return value is far more meaningful than actual values themselves. I believe that, "If it ain't readable, it ain't maintainable". So the overall readability, in my mind, is enhanced by the proper use of defined constants.